Belize 2012

In March 2012,
PWOB founders Cal Ihler and Mike Mullen led a group of seven Seattle University
students on a 10-day service trip. This was PWOB’s second trip to Belize, and
student volunteers ranged from freshmen to seniors.

The group
worked with Liberty Children’s Home, an NGO devoted to the care of children who
have been abandoned, abused, and afflicted with HIV. The home is a sanctuary
for these children, providing a loving and nurturing environment with a high
standard of education.

PWOB installed
a 2” and 3” pipe to carry grey water from three of the residences to an
underground collection tank. From the tank the water is then pumped to a
25-foot tower and tank and then gravity fed through 900 feet of pipe to
irrigate the vegetable gardens. Some of the water is used to wash down the pig
pens each day.

The work was
challenging. The group woke up early and spent 8-10 hours each day digging
trenches and installing the pipe. They dug into a mix of dirt and very sticky
clay that was hard to get off the shovels after each scoop. Their team of
students didn’t complain as they kept digging, ignoring their tired bodies as
well as mosquitoes, blazing sun, and tropical rains. ter from three of the residences to an
underground collection tank. From the tank the water is then pumped to a
25-foot tower and tank and then gravity fed through 900 feet of pipe to
irrigate the vegetable gardens. Some of the water is used to wash down the pig
pens each day.

The trench ran
approximately 280 feet, graded from three to 26 inches deep; as with all PWOB
projects, it was built as close to SU standards as possible. The team had to
get a little creative with this project because the pipe had to run so far and
had a minimal amount of grade to do so.

Thanks to the
hard work of the student volunteers, the project was a great success. By
tapping into the three residences, the group was able to double the amount of
water Liberty Children’s Home has to irrigate their gardens and wash down their
growing pig operation. We love partnering with such a deserving organization,
and we look forward to many years of further cooperation.

Empowering students to serve and lead sustainable service projects that help people in need.